Tatranky by Opavia - a legend wrapped for the road 🍫⛰️

Some treats don’t need advertising. One crinkle of the wrapper, the first crisp bite, and you instantly know. This is the classic you pack in your pocket - for trips, school days, car rides, work breaks. And sometimes simply as a small reward that never disappoints.

That’s exactly what Tatranky are.

What Tatranky are and why you recognize them instantly

Tatranky are wafers with a creamy filling and a chocolate coating. In the original version, the chocolate was mainly around the edges, giving them that unmistakable “border” signature while keeping the wafer nicely intact.

Why people love them

- crispy wafers with a familiar, comforting cream
- chocolate as the finishing touch you’d recognize blindfolded
- the perfect on-the-go sweet - easy to carry, easy to enjoy

How a tatranka was born

Tatranky first appeared in 1945. It almost feels symbolic - the post-war years, a craving for something good and practical, something you can take with you.

At the very beginning, they even had a triangular shape inspired by mountain peaks - which is where the name comes from. But mass production can be uncompromising, and the rectangle won in the end. It’s easier to coat, easier to wrap, and easier to eat on the road.

Their iconic form is also linked to Vilém Škvarlo, associated with developing a key part of the production technology.

Fillings and how they changed over time

The original filling was nut-based, later joined by other beloved versions - chocolate, peanut, and after 1989, even more flavors.

A detail for long-time fans - the number of wafer layers also changed over the years. The classic “six-layer” feel people remember was later adjusted in different periods. That’s one reason many say “it tasted different back then” - because they remember not only the flavor, but the texture too.

When a brand name becomes a word

You may know this - people often say “a tatranka” even when they mean a similar wafer from another brand. The name became so widely used that it started to work almost like a general word for a “hiking wafer.”

Similar wafers aren’t made only by Opavia. In Slovakia, another long-time icon is Horalky, produced by Sedita (I.D.C. Holding).

And Horalky is exactly where the dispute began in 2003. Sedita claimed that Opavia changed the look of its Horalky so it started to resemble the Slovak version. A lawsuit followed, arguing unfair competition.

In 2006, the companies reached a settlement - both may use the names Tatranky and Horalky, but the products must look clearly different. The agreement even covered details such as the direction of the name and logo on the wrapper. The trademark itself has been owned by the Czech side since the 1990s.

The best ways to enjoy Tatranky

- with coffee or tea when you want something small and reliable
- on trips when you need quick energy in your pocket
- as a nostalgic “drawer stash” that always comes in handy